Ow Do on Helvellyn (From York Press)

Ow Do on Helvellyn

10:53pm Wednesday 12th September 2007

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Enthused with the walk up and down Penny Ghent three friends and I have done another walk. We went to the Lake District and walked from Glenridding, up to the top of Helvellyn via Striding Edge and down via Swirrel Edge back to Glenridding. Fabulous views on the way up, until we ascended into the cloud for the last 500 feet, and fabulous views when we came back down out of the low cloud.

Sitting and resting our tired legs, looking across Ullswater and beyond, scoffing the last of our snacks and taking the odd photo. Wonderful.... I can't believe I've waited so long to do it.

I didn't feel bad either, well I couldn't could I when a family of three consisting of a man in his thirties, a boy of about eleven and a girl of about nine wearing Wellingtons, covered the same route as us the opposite way round with apparent ease. I thought Striding Edge was a bit scary really but the children obviously didn't! I was impressed with their obvious enjoyment, as you can tell.

We tested out boots, our waterproofs (with the horizontal rain on the summit), our stamina and our map reading, and we'd not only survived (in spite of Graham's American Death Trousers) but we'd enjoyed ourselves. All that remained was to recover. Walking to work from the outer Ring Road to the centre of York a few times, hadn’t prepared me for the mountains and it was four days before my calves relaxed. I bet those nippers were fine after a nights sleep.

Scafell Pike next, the highest mountain in England. I can’t wait!

By the way, people were just the same on this walk, saying "Ow do" (was that just me) or hello and chatting about the walk. Some simply nodding and smiling breathlessly on the way up. Makes me feel at home.